


In The Hands Of The Gods

by amyfortuna



Category: The Eagle | Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Soul Bond, Virgin!Marcus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-16
Updated: 2012-12-16
Packaged: 2017-11-21 07:33:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/595130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amyfortuna/pseuds/amyfortuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marcus makes a vow to Mithras, but vows have consequences and sometimes involve sacrifices. Can Esca accept the consequences of Marcus' vow? And can Marcus make the required sacrifice?</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Hands Of The Gods

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aohatsu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aohatsu/gifts).



Marcus drifted in a haze of pain. The rain was constant and at times so fierce he feared he might not be able to catch his breath at all. He clasped the Eagle in his arms and waited. 

Strength was a long time in coming. He snatched sleep as he could, head against a fallen tree trunk positioned just so that he could breathe without breathing in rain. The cold felt like it went all the way to his bones and beyond. He felt numb; each time he moved a limb into a more comfortable position, it was harder just to move. 

“Esca,” he breathed. “Esca.” The only warmth in his blood now was the thought of the way Esca had held his head, fingers around the back of his neck, tangled in his hair, and of the look in his eyes, the absolute certainty in his voice as he told Marcus he would return. 

Marcus did not doubt him. 

Eventually he was able to sleep for a few hours and could feel some measure of strength coming back. He knew that he must be ready for whatever might come, friend or enemy. Painfully, he pulled himself to a sitting position, and took hold of a long thick branch that lay nearby, stripping the leaves and smaller branches from it. This would do. 

“Esca, Esca,” he breathed, moving his knife over the soft wood. “Esca, beloved Esca, safe and swift return.” 

He slid the carved branch into the slot to hold the Eagle as a standard and carefully, with great pain, got to his feet, as in the distance he began to hear the barking of dogs. The Seal People were coming, and he would stand alone if need be, defending the Eagle to his very last breath. A thought made its way through his mind: if his father had fled, abandoned the Eagle, if all his fears were true, then he would here and now redeem him, but if his father had held the Eagle to the very end, if the Eagle had fallen at the same moment as his father’s broken body, then he would do no less here. He would honour him with this last stand. He drew his sword, waiting, swaying.

And all his hopes and fears collided into a prayer, swift and urgent. “Bring Esca back safe and swift to my side, Mithras, Lord of Light! Faithfully I have served you all my days, so be faithful now to me and bring Esca back. Accept whatever sacrifice I can offer, only keep Esca safe and by my side.” 

He could only mouth the prayer, not wanting to be overheard. The dogs were barking louder now. It would soon be over. 

And out of the mists and fogs an army marched, Esca at its head, a smile of triumph on his face. Marcus swayed with the standard, staring in amazement, for Esca had conjured the last of a legion. 

Marcus could only feel the flame of love, newly-kindled, sparking up into a blazing inferno. He could barely speak. All the world had narrowed to a desperate singing in his blood, and the song it sang was Esca’s name repeated a thousand times. 

When, later, he saved Esca from the Seal Prince, and, fury burning white-hot in his eyes, drowned the man in the cold river, he knew only one thought: that Esca and he would be bound together for all their lives, if Esca wished it. 

* * *

They were half a day’s journey south from the glen where they had burned the last of the legion and the pride of the Seal People together, and Marcus was completely exhausted again. Although there was no such pressing need to hurry as there had been before, Esca insisted that they make haste to leave the north as quickly as possible. He kept a watchful eye all around them, while Marcus trudged forward, head down, the Eagle clasped to his chest, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. 

“Marcus,” Esca said finally, once he had determined that no one was following them. Marcus raised his head slowly, taking a long shuddering breath in when Esca placed his hand on his shoulder, rubbing unconsciously at the knotted pain in his upper back. “Marcus, you should rest. We can take one day. Forgive me, I should not have pushed you so hard.” 

“Where?” Marcus asked through lips that felt like they could barely form words. Esca circled around in front of him, and gently tugged the Eagle from his arms. 

“These trees over there look like they could provide good shelter,” he said, gesturing toward a wooded area not far to the south. “I fear there will be a storm later, so we should find shelter now.”

The clouds looked dark and ominous above them by the time they reached the woods. A small stream ran down the hill in the middle of the forest, and there was a large outcropping of rock near the water that looked like it might offer some shelter. It was nothing so good as a cave, but it would keep the rain off. 

Marcus sank down on a large flat rock just inside the shelter with a sigh, looking up at Esca, who gave him something like half a smile and crouched nearby to start a fire using some sticks he had collected along the way. There were plenty of stones scattered about to make a fire pit with, and Esca busied himself for a few moments arranging the rocks and getting the fire started. He looked up to find Marcus’ eyes on him, gaze quickly dropped once their eyes met. The tension between them was so thick Esca could have cut it with a knife, but this time it was a tension that set his blood on fire. 

The fire was smoky at first but soon blazed up. The wood wasn’t as dry as Esca would have preferred but then there was very little in this land that was ever dry. Esca took Marcus’ cloak - what remained of it - from around the Eagle and wrapped it around Marcus, who was shivering almost visibly. 

“There,” he said. “Go and get warm. I will make sure that we eat better than raw rat tonight.” He’d left a hand on Marcus’ shoulder, and Marcus reached up, covering it with his own cold hand, looking up at him with warmth in his eyes. 

“Thank you, my friend,” he said, and then dropped his gaze again, colour rising in his cheeks. 

Esca gently tugged his hand from under Marcus’ and said, softly, “I will return soon.”

Esca found a warren in the field just outside the woods, and shot a hare quickly, returning with it just as the rain started to fall. Marcus was curled up near the fire, dozing, and Esca took the opportunity to watch him while he put together a spit made of sticks to roast the hare on. 

He couldn’t help but think of a day that seemed so long ago, when Marcus was recovering from his surgery. Then, Esca sat, watching him, until he awoke, and tried to think of all the ways he hated him but couldn’t tear his eyes away from his unconscious face, pale and weak, but still so beautiful. It was the same now, except that Esca could think only of how he loved Marcus. 

The hare was roasting, fat dropping into the fire with loud sparks, by the time Marcus woke up. A soft smile lit up his features as he spied Esca turning the hare on the spit. It was Esca’s turn to blush and glance away this time, and then immediately to pretend it had not happened and he did not notice it. 

“Food will be ready soon,” he said quickly. 

The rain pattered on the leaves all around as they ate, but between the fire and the rock surface behind them, it was dry and cosy. A large collection of leaves had gathered there and Marcus laid his cloak down and then settled on top of them, gesturing to Esca to join him. Esca banked up the fire and set two large pieces of wood into the ashes to slowly burn overnight, then settled down with Marcus, who was lying with his back to the rock in the most sheltered spot. 

Esca removed his hunting knife and laid it down next to the fire within easy reach, then lowered himself to the ground next to Marcus, facing him. They were just a breath away from being in each other’s arms now and Esca wanted to close the distance, reaching out to put his arms around Marcus almost before he knew what he was doing. 

Marcus gave a faint huff of surprise. Taken aback, Esca started to withdraw but Marcus met him more than halfway, halting his retreat, putting his arms around Esca and drawing him to his chest. Esca found himself resting his head against Marcus’ shoulder. 

Marcus brushed his lips against Esca’s forehead before he spoke. Esca could feel his heart pounding. “I think I’m happier right here, right now, than I have ever been.” 

“Because you have the Eagle?” Esca said, not moving from Marcus’ arms. 

“No - well,” Marcus took a breath. “No. I am glad that I know now that my father was not a coward, and I am glad that the Eagle will be restored, but I am glad most of all that you are here with me.” 

“Where else would I be?” Esca sounded genuinely confused at the thought, although of course he could not have been. 

“Oh, any number of places,” Marcus said lightly. “All those places, all those fates, let us not think of them. They are gone and will never now be seen. You are here.” He bent his head and dared to kiss Esca’s temple softly. 

Esca caught his breath but did not move for a long second. Then he was surging upward without further thought to capture Marcus’ mouth with his own. Marcus felt as though his mind had been set ablaze, burning hotter than funeral pyres, when Esca pressed their mouths together. 

And all at once, he could feel everything, as if his perception had doubled. Esca’s white hot blaze of love met and matched his own as they held each other, stunned and overwhelmed. This was beyond a kiss, beyond sex, to the joining of their hearts and minds. They were as one and the joy of it was beyond sense and reason. 

It could have been hours or minutes before Esca drew back and the connection faded. 

“What in the name of all the gods was that?” Esca whispered. Marcus’ eyes were wide in the darkness. 

“I do not know,” he said. “But I…” he trailed off and leaned down to capture Esca’s lips with his own. The connection rejoined and their bodies sang with it and Esca heard the rest of the unvoiced thought echoing in Marcus’ mind. “But I want more of this, of you. Always.” 

For the rest of that night, they lay together, kiss after kiss passing like breath between them, until they fell into sleep. If any had been listening, they would have made no sound, but their hearts were speaking. 

* * *

The morning dawned late and dim. The sky was dark with overcast clouds still and as Esca stirred, sitting up to poke the fire and hope it had been sheltered enough from the rain, Marcus woke up too, arms sliding around Esca’s waist, holding him loosely, leaning his head on Esca’s shoulder. 

“It’s going to be a horrible day,” Esca said, making a face at the clouds. There was a little heat left in the ashes, fortunately, so Esca retrieved some dry leaves from under Marcus’ cloak to spark the fire again, then laid down a bundle of small sticks to get the fire going again. The fire was burning not soon enough. Marcus’ forehead rested against the nape of Esca’s neck and Esca could no longer resist. 

“Marcus,” he whispered, leaning back into him so that his head rested against Marcus’ shoulder. Marcus nuzzled him sleepily and Esca kissed him, a kiss that was meant to be light and swift but at the touch of Marcus’ lips against his own, joined their minds again. Esca could feel Marcus’ warm sleepy contentment, and his desire for Esca, and that was all he needed to spark an answering flame of desire for Marcus. 

Twisting in Marcus’ arms, he guided them both back down, and stroked along Marcus’ side down to his thigh. Marcus sighed into his mouth, visibly relaxing against him. They lay together for several moments, trading kisses, knowing they both wanted more but content to move slowly for now. Marcus was fully awake now and the fire was burning steadily, sending up a clear smoke signal against the clouds. 

So it was that the rogue warriors came upon them. Marcus, with his uncommonly excellent hearing, was the first to perceive noises that did not match the noises of the forest, and Esca, hearing them through Marcus’ ears and with the benefit of his experience, could tell instantly where they were and how long it would be before the attack happened. 

They whispered their readiness into each other’s minds, lips still clinging together, then sprang apart, moving in perfect sync to cut the warriors down. Esca’s bow rang twice in quick succession and two fell near Marcus as he thrust his sword into the body of a third man who had been sneaking up on Esca. It was over almost before it began. 

Marcus could feel the blood thundering in his veins and he grabbed for Esca, who was reaching for him. Their bodies came together as they fell to the ground on Marcus’ cloak. Esca was on top, reaching a hand between them to untie their bracchae. It seemed like forever before their erections met and they were thrusting against each other urgently, lips meeting again, the connection roaring between them, pleasure spiralling. 

This too was over almost before it began. Marcus came, shocked, breathless, to the feel of Esca’s tongue against his own and Esca’s hardness sliding slick along his own, and Esca followed him down with a gasp. 

“That was - that was,” Marcus gasped when they separated. “I’ve never - I wanted - I didn’t think it would be this good, with you.”

“You’ve never?” Esca said. “With anyone?” They were still tangled together, arms around each other, legs entwined. 

“No,” Marcus said, ears going red. 

Esca laughed. “There is so much I can show you, Marcus.” He bent to kiss Marcus for just an instant, and his mind was full of the two of them together, curled around each other in bed, Esca’s cock between Marcus’ thighs. 

Marcus turned his head away, face flaming. “Yes,” he said. “Yes. I want that. I shouldn’t, but I want that.” 

“We must go,” Esca said, moving to get up, reluctance written in all the lines of his body. 

“We must. Where there are these, there will be others.” Marcus took a deep breath. “I feel much refreshed now, and there is little pain from my leg.” 

* * *

They set off together shortly afterward into the mists, fire throughly doused, and walked steadily all that day until darkness fell, when they found a tribe that they had encountered on their journey north. Esca bartered the skin of the hare for a loaf of bread and got a supper and a night’s shelter for them with two more he had shot along the way. Marcus was careful to keep the Eagle concealed at all times, and it wasn’t until they were lying close together next to the fire and all the household were asleep that they were able to touch more than a brief brush of hands.

They lay down together, Marcus on his back, Esca curled against him, in the circle of his arm. 

“Marcus?” Esca whispered against Marcus’ shoulder after a few minutes, once the house had settled for the night, but he was already asleep. Esca sighed and sat up, careful not to disturb Marcus. He rubbed at his own left leg, which had been troubling him all day, but could not find a cause for why this might be so. The scratch on his upper arm seemed mostly healed, and he had never injured his left leg, so he could not understand why there was pain. 

“Gods, what is this?” he breathed. 

“It is my gift,” a voice said from behind him. Turning, he found a man standing there, someone he did not recognise, someone from whom light seemed to emanate. He was clad in a plain white toga, and his skin looked like it was made of shining gold. His face was that of a middle-aged man, clean-shaven and dark-haired, and his eyes were kind. 

“Who are you?” Esca said, standing up and facing the man. “What is your gift?”

“I am Mithras, who your Marcus worships, and I have given to you both, in recognition of your valour together, the gift of the soulbond. Few indeed are granted it, so be glad, son of Cunoval, son of Britain.”

“What is a soulbond?” Esca asked. “And Marcus may worship you but I do not, so why do you grant gifts to those who do not honour you?” 

“The soulbond binds you to each other and links your minds together. You will share each other’s thoughts and bear each other’s pain. For so it is said: ‘one soul, two bodies, one heart, two minds, one fate, two lives. Together you are bound for all of time.’” 

Esca stepped forward over Marcus’ sleeping body, fist clenched. “I was not given a choice. I did not ask for this.” 

Mithras reached out a hand, gesturing toward Marcus. “Can you say you would reject it now, reject him now? Having touched his mind, would you now live without him?”

Esca glanced between Marcus and the god, and finally shook his head. “You know that I would not reject him. I would not have rejected him even without this from you. And you did not answer my question - why me?” 

The god smiled. “You have done Rome a great service and in so doing, you have honoured me. I do not expect your vows and sacrifices, Briton. And this gift comes with its own pains and grief, as you are already learning.” He gestured toward Esca’s left leg, which was trembling underneath him. “You shall have a half-share in whatever Marcus suffers, as he will in whatever you suffer. And you shall not survive each other. If one is slain, the other will die.”

“Then what do you counsel we do?” Esca asked. “If we are so weakened by each other, how can we protect ourselves?” 

Mithras took up a long spear by his side, and in his hand it turned into a plow. “Marcus needs to know,” the god said, “that as I have fulfilled his request of me, that I will ask for a sacrifice of him.” 

“What sacrifice do you ask?” Esca said. 

“My gift demands everything to be shared,” Mithras said. “Marcus must sacrifice all the walls he has built inside himself, all the fears he holds behind those walls, and all the shame that hides his true wishes. Only then will he completely yours.” The god smiled again as Esca stood in stunned silence. “Fear not, Esca son of Cunoval, for you are both in the hands of the gods, Marcus’ and yours.” 

The light began to fade and Esca felt himself falling, suddenly too tired to think. When he woke, it was early morning and Marcus lay by his side, eyes just opening. Esca leaned over him without a word and touched their lips together, sharing all that he had seen. 

* * *

They set out early that day. Marcus was unusually quiet, and Esca gave him time to think, only speaking when it became necessary. The silence between them was not uncomfortable. Esca could sense that Marcus was thinking hard, working through the words the god had said of him. When their hands brushed, Esca could feel the warmth of the love Marcus had for him, and was content to let him think in peace. 

Two cold and wet days later they reached the Wall, and stumbled through the gates together, to the amazement of the border guards. Displaying the Eagle got them a room for the night at a nearby inn and a sturdy horse for the morning. 

Their room was a small one but cosy, with its own hearth. One of the cooks was dishing up stew into two bowls on the table, and a loaf of warm bread lay near the fire. A bottle of wine and two cups also stood on the table. Marcus smiled and reached to clasp Esca’s hand in his, and Esca could sense the weight of all he had decided to say in his mind. 

Once the cook had made his way out the door with the rest of his pot of stew, Esca stepped forward into Marcus’ arms, and they stood together for a long moment wrapped in each other. The warmth they felt for each other and the quiet contentment of decisions made lingered even when they separated and sat down across from each other at the table. 

“There is still much about you that is hidden from me, you know,” Marcus said, apropos of nothing, several minutes later when they were finishing their meal. 

Esca looked up. “That will come with time. Remember, I do not know all your secrets either.” 

Marcus laughed a little. “I’d - I’d like you to,” he said, stumbling over the words a bit. “There are some things that are hard to say with words.” 

“I find it’s easiest to just say,” Esca said, putting a hand on Marcus’ where it lay between them on the table. “It is often far harder to think about saying words than it is to say them.” 

He could feel Marcus growing tense and found himself sending thoughts of peace to Marcus, who sighed, the tension bleeding out of him. “I want things I shouldn’t want, and I fear it’s because of this connection we have.”

Esca drew back, very gently and slowly. “What do you want, Marcus?” His voice was very low, his eyes downcast. For all he knew what Marcus’ general mood was, he could not say what Marcus had decided. 

“I want - you,” Marcus said, not looking at Esca. Then, all in a rush, “I want you between my thighs, and I want to - oh - be fucked by you. And I want, shame though it should be to say, to suck your cock.”

Esca looked at Marcus with delight and joy, but Marcus was looking away at the fire as though it could compete with the blush on his face. “Why do you fear it?” Esca asked. 

“I fear dishonour, Esca. I fear shame.” He glanced at Esca and reached out a hand as though wanting to draw him close, to just speak it through their minds the easy way, but let his hand fall. “Esca, I know what you saw, but I do not understand what this is we have between us. Yet I know it is unlike anything I have ever felt and I would die before I would be parted from you.” He laid his hand back over Esca’s. “Please, be patient with me, for all my world has changed now, and I feel like the person I was a year ago before I met you is a stranger to me. For so long all I dreamed to be was the perfect Roman, like I hoped my father was. And now I know that I cannot be, because I love you.” 

Esca laughed. “But you were an imperfect Roman long before this” - he waved his hand to encompass their bond - “and long before you met me, if what you’ve said about never having been with anyone before is truth.”

“It is truth. I’m not like other men.” 

“If that means you don’t wish to go around penetrating everything you see, Roman, then I would say you are correct. I could never have loved someone who thought it his right to have me or anyone else. You clearly don’t, Marcus, so in my eyes you are a good man, an honourable man, and therefore I love you.” Esca reached out his hands to Marcus.

Marcus stood up and reached across the table for Esca, grabbing both of his hands. “Come here and I will let down all my walls for you. Come here and you can have me any way you want me.” 

Esca scrambled across the table, pushing dishes out of the way, into Marcus’ arms. 

“I have far too many plans for just one night,” Esca said and kissed Marcus. When the kiss broke, he reached over to his bag, grabbing the small bottle of oil he carried, and then steered Marcus toward the bed in the corner. 

They stumbled to the bed, trading kisses, feeling the connection in their minds expand with every touch, removing clothes along the way. Esca pushed Marcus backward onto the bed, and Marcus went willingly, falling back into the cushions and furs, bracchae still tangled around his ankles. Esca pulled them off, and just as quickly, removed his own, then climbed on top of Marcus, settling down against him, the bottle of oil on the table beside the bed. 

They were lying together with nothing at all but skin between them for the first time. Marcus sighed happily and raised his head to be kissed. Esca obliged, putting his hands to either side of Marcus' face and licking into Marcus' mouth. 

Marcus reached between them to where their cocks met and kissed and surrounded them both with his hands, pumping up and down. Esca gasped in a breath, breaking the kiss. 

"I want to fuck you, my Marcus," he whispered breathlessly, arching into Marcus' hands. 

Marcus flushed but held Esca’s gaze, letting go of their erections. “Yes.” His voice sounded shaken, but determined. Esca bent and mouthed Marcus’ nipples until they were hard and Marcus was squirming under the touch, small gasps and groans escaping. 

Esca licked a slow trail down Marcus’ chest and stomach and across the top of his cock - Marcus breathed in a shocked breath - and then looked up, eyes laughing. Marcus was openmouthed, one arm flung back over his head, eyes wide. 

“Don’t look so shocked, Roman,” Esca said, immediately taking Marcus’ cock into his mouth and licking all the way down to the fine hairs at the base, then up again. Marcus moaned, and Esca licked him again, tiny licks all around the head of him, and their connection opened wide. Esca could feel what Marcus felt - a hand and a mouth on his cock, licking and licking, and the sensation was so good he almost stopped. Breathless and so close to coming himself, he bent to take Marcus further in his mouth, and could feel a warm mouth taking him in deep. 

So so close and with great effort he pulled back. Their connection faded a bit with the loss of contact. Marcus keened quietly, thrusting his hips up, lost in the sensation. Esca reached for the oil and nearly spilt it trying to get enough. 

“Relax, Marcus,” he said. “Breathe.” Marcus met his eyes and nodded, beginning to breathe more slowly and deliberately. 

“Everything you wish to do with me I also wish to do with you,” Esca said, gently finding Marcus’ hole and carefully pushing an oiled finger inside. He could feel Marcus begin to tense up at the intrusion, and laid his other hand on Marcus’ stomach. “Keep breathing. Let go. You are mine and I’m yours and nothing we do in the bed we share is cause for shame.” 

Marcus’ hand came to rest over his, and they breathed together in perfect unison, eyes locked together, as Esca’s finger moved inside Marcus and was soon joined by a second and a third. Esca thrust in and out of Marcus with his fingers, and Marcus gasped at the feel of it, hand falling away. 

“Are you ready?” Esca asked and at Marcus’s eager nod withdrew his fingers, lined himself up and pushed inside. 

Their connection had been growing all the time Esca’s fingers were inside Marcus’ body, and now it was like a light flaring in the darkness, blinding all else to it. Marcus wrapped his legs around Esca and Esca drove deeper, feeling something inside Marcus explode with pleasure, feeling that Marcus was so close, or was it he that was close, or both together. He clung to Marcus’ hips and thrust with a shout of joy, feeling Marcus falling apart all around him, inside his mind and body both. 

White-hot pleasure seared them both and they thought no more. 

* * *

Seven days later, Esca and Marcus were walking away from the esteemed Legate of the Sixth Legion and his indispensable Tribune Placidus. They’d shared beds all down the countryside, learning all about each other, and their minds were so connected now that they moved in unison, thought almost as one. Truly, Esca thought to himself, the god failed to say that we would not be weaker together, but stronger. 

Only one act remained from what Marcus had named, one thing they had not done yet. Marcus had one wall left. 

“What shall we do now?” Esca said, catching up to Marcus, their steps falling into sync without a second thought. Marcus gave a contented smile. 

“You decide,” he said, and Esca could not keep himself from grinning.

“I decide, then,” he said as they walked, “that we shall go back to the lodging-place immediately, and that you, Roman, shall use that talented mouth in the way it is most suited for.” 

Marcus stopped dead and turned to look at Esca, but a smile was on his face. “What, do you want me to deliver a speech?” he teased. “I’ve often been praised for my speeches.” 

Esca shook his head, eyes dancing. “Not a speech, no.” 

“Ah, I see then! We shall have a fine meal. I can certainly feast with the best of them.” Marcus was on the verge of laughter. 

“Closer,” Esca said. “For I have it on good authority that what I’d have you do” - he stepped close to Marcus, whispering the last few words hotly in his ear - “is delicious.” 

Marcus sucked in a breath. “Then I won’t wait any longer, my dear Esca,” he said, his own mouth on Esca’s ear. Esca took Marcus’ hand and together they hurried through the streets back to where they were staying. 

It was mid-afternoon and most of the people staying in the lodging-place with them were not around. Marcus and Esca made their way upstairs to their room, and Esca closed and locked the door behind them. 

Marcus slid his arms around Esca’s waist as he finished bolting the door, and as Esca turned in his arms, he leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met and Esca could feel, so strongly, both Marcus’ delight in him and fears about what they were about to do. 

“You will still be praised for your speeches after this, fear not,” he said softly when the kiss broke. Marcus smiled and stepped back. 

“I know,” he said. “Nothing about you could sully me. We are two halves of the same whole. If my own body does not taint me, neither can yours.” 

Esca answered with a smile of his own, taking off his shoes, then bracchae and tunic, and making his way over to the bed. Marcus watched him, eyes hot, until Esca was naked, when he suddenly seemed to remember that he had clothes of his own to take off. Shoes, bracchae and tunic went any which way, and soon Marcus was joining Esca on the bed, kissing him long and deep and slow until Esca’s toes were curling and their minds were open to each other again. 

Warm desire spilled through them, and Esca found himself remembering the few times he had licked Marcus, all the different ways it could be done. A shock of heat went through him as he realised that Marcus was calling up these memories, that what he had done to Marcus would soon be done to him. 

Marcus was sliding down his body, hands drifting down his sides. Esca let his legs fall open, closing his eyes as Marcus paused for a breathless second, then took him into his mouth. 

He fought not to thrust up into that wet heat immediately, fought to go slow for Marcus’ sake. Marcus’ big hands closed over his hips and suddenly he could breathe again. He was held down, safe and secure, and Marcus was with him, their minds together. Marcus’s mouth slid up and down his shaft slowly, sucking him in, licking at him with a warm and clever tongue. 

It was an eternity together. It was far too short a time. Esca could see everything of Marcus, just as Marcus could see everything of him. He was both sucking and being sucked, he was holding down and being held down, he was hard against the sheets of the bed and hard inside Marcus’ mouth. He was breathless, gasping, lying back against the bed, he was on his knees, moaning with joy around the cock in his mouth. He was conqueror and conquered, lover and beloved, and he was - they were - coming together, Esca’s voice shouting as if for both of them. 

Esca found himself with his hands in Marcus’ hair. Marcus had crawled up beside him and was curled around him, warm and slightly sticky. Esca guided Marcus into a kiss, tasting himself, tasting them, and the echo of their bond. Marcus raised his head when the kiss broke, looking down at Esca for a long moment. 

“Mithras, Lord of Light,” Marcus said at last, “Accept these my sacrifices.” He paused, a tiny smile creeping over his face as he looked down at Esca. “And my thanks.”


End file.
